Brad Pitt has spoken candidly about his relationship with ex-fiancée Gwyneth Paltrow, over 20 years later, and how “lovely” it is that they’ve stayed friends.
The former couple reflected on how they’ve maintained a close connection over the years during a recent interview on Paltrow’s Goop website. The actors were together from 1994 to 1997, before calling off their engagement.
While speaking to her ex, the Iron Man star brought up her later father, Bruce Paltrow, who died in 2002, and acknowledged how much he liked Pitt. According to Paltrow, when she was engaged, her father had very a close relationship with the Fight Club star.
“I’ll never forget when we were engaged and he came to me one day, his eyes full of tears, and he said, “You know, I never really realised what they mean when they say you’re gaining a son. Like, I’m gaining a son,’” she explained.
As Paltrow addressed that they “didn’t get married, unfortunately,” Pitt laughed and said, “Right..Oh man everything works out, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does. I finally found the Brad I was supposed to marry. It just took me 20 years,” Paltrow joked, as she married television writer Brad Falchuk in 2018.
The 58-year-old actor went on to note how he appreciates Paltrow as a companion in his life.
“And it’s lovely to have you as a friend now,” he said, to which the Goop founder responded: “It is.”
“And I do love you,” Pitt added, before Paltrow agreed and said: “I love you so much.”
The film producer went on to praise Paltrow’s father, detailing how he had a “profound effect on” him and he thinks about him often. According to Pitt, Bruce also “fostered” Paltrow and her brother’s, Jake Paltrow, “voice” and “independence”.
“He carved the way for you guys to be who you are,” The Lost City star said. “And I think that’s so important to parenting, you know? So the child is free to find out who they are and what they love and what they don’t. You guys were just so free in your conversations. And witty. And intelligent. And funny as f***.”
Pitt noted that although Bruce “could be tough” on his children, he also offered a them “little drop of wisdom” at the same time.
“He could be tough if he needed to be, but it would be rare—only if someone was out of line,” he said. “And it would come with…not a slap on the wrist but a little drop of wisdom, and he’d let you make the choice. That seemed to be his way. Just to offer you this wisdom and let you figure it out. And knowing to have that faith in your child—they’ll get there when they get there.”
Pitt also recalled how “funny” Paltrow and her father were together, before highlighting how much Bruce loved his daughter.
“And you guys were so funny together, ripping across the table, which was a rarity that I hadn’t experienced much, and I loved it,” he added. “The fun you guys had was infectious. You could just see just how much he adored you.”
Following her breakup from Pitt, Paltrow married Chris Martin in 2003 but announced her split from the musician in 2014. They still share two children, Apple, 18, and Moses, 16, together.
Paltrow got remarried to Falchuk in 2018 and Martin has been dating Dakota Johnson since 2017, although the Coldplay member has kept his relationship out of the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Pitt married Jennifer Aniston in 2000, before announcing their separation in 2005. Pitt went on to marry his Mr & Mrs Smith co-star, Angelina Jolie, in 2014. Although they broke up in 2016, the former couple share six children: Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 15, Vivienne, 13, and Knox, 13.
Paltrow previously discussed her friendship with her exes, including Pitt, while speaking to Harper’s Bazaar in January 2020. To the publication, she said: “I’m friendly with Brad Pitt. I don’t have any really bad blood.”
